


Fading of the Last Monarch

by HeruKane



Series: Empire of Albion [13]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Albion, Fate & Destiny, Gen, ICW, Last Monarch, Ministry of Magic, Once and Future King
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 21:58:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeruKane/pseuds/HeruKane
Summary: A short story set in the past of my Albion universe. This story showcases the fall of the Last Monarch and the preparations for the great interregnum in which Albion is ruled by the Ministries and the ICW rather than by the King-Emperor directly.





	Fading of the Last Monarch

**Author's Note:**

> This short between is a bit bittersweet but it was also necessary I think. 
> 
> I also hope it ties you all over till next week and the start of the posting for Book Seven. Which, by the way, currently has nine sections remaining before I am done. As I said before the outlines are there I just have to get the motivation to write them. :)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this between!

**Fading of the Last Monarch**  
\---------------------------

The battle had gone on for hours but in the end the King-Emperor had positioned himself for the perfect strike.

"By my authority as Monarch of the Empire of Albion your darkness will not be tolerated anymore," the King-Emperor says as he lets out a blast of Divinely empowered Imperial scale magic at the Dark Lord Abelus, his own cousin. As the blast moves towards the Dark Lord the Emperor says, "Sorry Cousin, may you find the peace in the next life that you never got here!"

As the blast hits him Abelus sneers and says, "I don't want your peace nor your pitty, what I want is for you to suffer like I did!" He then laughs manically before shattering his staff in half.

The Emperor has but a second to widen his eyes and throw up a shield before the world goes white. For in the split second that the Imperial blast struck the Dark Lord his final strike erupted, causing a crater some hundreds of meters around to form in what had been a city square.

8888

The first thing Edward felt when consciousness returned was pain. Then came a soothing warmth as magic washed over him to dull the pain.

Opening his eyes he says, "What?"

"Don't speak your Majesty, you are still injured." Says a voice he can only barely recognize, let alone see.

But then another voice comes over him, the voice of Pierre, his trusted Imperial Seneschal. "We won Your Majesty, the Empire is safe, everyone is accounted for. Please rest so you can heal!"

Edward simply smiles at the news before closing his eyes to rest.

8888

"Look Pierre, no matter what my Healers say I know the truth, I'm dying."

"But your Majesty," Pierre says in shock and disbelief.

"No buts Pierre for it is what it is, I'm dying and the Empire will be without a Monarch as everyone even remotely related to me is dead," at the last word he closes his eyes in order to master the feelings of grief that washes over him. When he opens them again, having gained control of his emotions, he says, "Though I don't know how long I have left what I will not do is let the Empire be left unprepared. So we will be busy, no rest for us," a slight pause, "Especially since I will rest when I am dead."

"Your Majesty," the Imperial Seneschal says brokenly. He then gains control of his emotions and nods firmly, "As you wish Your Majesty, what do you wish for me to do?"

"Plenty, there is plenty for us to do, for we must make it so the Empire can survive the loss of the Monarch without falling apart."

"Then what?"

"I die, you take up a new role I am going to create and the Empire waits for Fate, Destiny, and Magic to appoint a new Monarch to guide the Empire through the trials yet to come!"

8888

"But why do we have to leave, this is our home?" Asks Alex Obrien, a young resident of Camelot as they sit in a park.

As his parents look at each other trying to figure out what to say about the loss that is to come they feel a presence near them.

They turn around, eyes widen in shock for a moment before they bow low to His Majesty, Emperor Edward.

Edward gives the two adults a soft smile before he moves over to a still sitting boy and gestures, "May I join you lad?"

"Ah," the boy says shocked and surprised before looking at his parents, getting a nod, and then turning towards the Emperor and saying, "yes please." A pause, "Your Majestix."

The Emperor gives a small smile at that before sitting down, well aware of the gathering crowd. He then sighs and says, "Before your birth darkness had covered the Empire, a darkness I pushed back. But there was a cost you see lad, a cost which I am still paying. As part of that cost this great city needs to go to sleep till a Magical comes that can become the next Monarch. Do you understand?"

Alex gets a thinking look before nodding, "It's like the story of High King Bruta and Advisor Myradin right, they went to sleep and returned in the form of Emperor Arthur and Advisor Merlin."

"Exactly, good on you lad." A pause, "But what is different is that this time both a title and a place need to sleep till Fate, Destiny, and Magic say its the time to return."

Firm nod, well, as firm as it can be when its given by a little kid, so its more cute then firm. "I will watch and wait and be there when the Monarchy returns. I will greet your successor and see my home again!"

The adults all feel the wave of magic which flows past them at that declaration, as if prophecy was spoken by the kid.

A wide grin comes to the Emperor's face as the feeling of hope comes to him. "May I hug you lad," he then says. Upon getting the nod he does, he reaches over and hugs the lad. As he does so he says, softly so only the child hears, "By the power and authority invested in me I do declare you an Imperial Knight, your role is to watch, prepare, and be there for the return of the Monarch!"

The Emperor then pulls back and says, loudly this time, "With you watching I can go to sleep knowing the Empire will be safe, thank you young lad."

As he walks away from the park and its gathered crowd he turns to his personal Knight Escort, and says, "Magic guides that boy Pernelle and I know without doubt he will have a great and long future ahead of him!"

8888

"It is with great sadness that I report that His Imperial and Royal Majesty Edward Hadrian Pendragon, King-Emperor of Albion and Rome, High King of Britain, Caldonia, and Hibernia, Lord of Camelot, Lord and Head of the Foremost Ancient and Royal House of Pendragon-Emrys has closed his eyes for the last time." Says Imperial Seneschal Pierre Bonaccord through an illusion projected via the Wards of Avalon. "While tradition normally dictates that I announce who shall bear the Regalia and be crowned the next King-Emperor of Albion, unfortunately due to recent events I cannot. The Great and Eternal Empire of Albion is now in a period of Interregnum, one which will last until Fate, Destiny, and Magic all come together to appoint the next Monarch." A pause. "But do not fear good citizens of Albion for the Empire we have long loved and continue to serve is not at an end. Rather we are simply in a moment of between, a moment in which we shall be guided by a new organization, the International Confederation of Wizards, and governed under the auspices of the various Grand Ministries of the prefectures. The Charters, Treaties, Constitutions, and Laws of the Grand Empire will all remain and enforced, so though this is a sad day it is not the last day." One final pause, "The King-Emperor is dead but long live the Empire of Albion!"

He then makes a slight push into the magic and deactivates the broadcast service. He closes his eyes for a moment before opening them once while turning towards the small gathering of witches and wizards remaining in Camelot.

"So what is next for us?" Asks Lord Frances Robinson, the once Imperial Chancellor.

"We have been given permission to remain here in Camelot for one more day to finish the transference of government service. After that we shall be apparated out as the wards of the city tighten and its location is blocked from global memory." Bonaccord then stops and takes a deep breath. "Then I shall go and become the first Supreme Mugwump while you take on the role of Chief Warlock and Minister for Magic of the British Ministry." Another pause, "Beyond that, well bureaucratic positions need to be filled and so there is going to be jobs for everyone who wants one."

As the small group look around assistant Darin Delgado says, "I wonder if any of us will be alive when Camelot comes back."

"You might," says Bonaccord, "as you are only eighteen and with your magic might have three or so centuries of life remaining."

"That would be brilliant, to one day walk these halls again." He then blinks rapidly to try and stop the urge to cry. "Um, sorry, so my Lord what would you have me do to prepare for us to leave?"

A small nod and, "Oh we have plenty to do and not much time to do it." He then takes one more look around at the throne room they are in before giving a firm nod and saying, "Let us begin!"

~~~


End file.
